


Meet the Family

by Tevlyn_Tauly



Series: Herpetology [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, Headcanon, REPTILES, Rescue, Snakes, herpetology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 12:07:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17622107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tevlyn_Tauly/pseuds/Tevlyn_Tauly
Summary: Prompto has a secret.Well, not really a secret, so much as he just hasn't told Noctis about it.Everyone assumes Prompto collects stray dogs and cats and all things cute and fluffy.The truth is, Prompto's pets tend to be more towards the scaly end of the spectrum.Noctis, Ignis and Gladio meet Prompto's babies.





	Meet the Family

**Author's Note:**

> The name of Prompto's biggest snake is a nod to Brian Barczyk on youtube, who has a Cow Morph Python with the same name. I thought it was cute.
> 
> Just a random little piece of writing so I can try to get into it again.

Prompto had a secret.

Well, actually, it was not so much a secret, as he had just never mentioned it to Noctis.

Prompto had noted his newest rescue was sick, and he had to give it injections, but it was tough to do alone - calling Ignis was his first step, and soon he was letting the Advisor in, with Noctis and Gladio following him.

"Where is this stray you need help with, Prompto?" Ignis asked. "And why did you need my assistance?"

Prompto rubbed the back of his head, corners of his mouth pulled up in a slight smile. "I have to give it an injection and I can't do it alone, it's too hard to keep it still."

Noctis had a smirk on his face. "I thought you were good with dogs."

"I am!" Prompto argued. "This isn't a dog. Come on." He led the way towards the large back room he was allowed to keep his rescues and pets in. Opening the door, a wave of humid heat wafted out of the room, causing a brief pause before they were filtering in.

From floor to ceiling along the shorter wall were racks of clear Plexiglas drawers with names and symbols written into the corners. On the longest wall, there were shelves with huge glass tanks with sliding doors on the side, and each seemed filled with foliage. The other wall was covered in more racks of drawers, with other names and symbols.

In addition, in the middle of the room was a table Prompto used to treat his rescues, or to check on them. Laying on it was a huge plastic box with holes in the top.

"Prom?" Gladio looked around. "What are -" He could not finish the sentence, as Prompto lifted the lid of the box and slowly reached in.

The skinny blond cooed softly to whatever he was pulling out, lifting slowly until the head of a large lizard breached the side. He settled it onto the table, moving the box aside, and ran a hand down the smooth back of the black and white creature.

"What in the Six is that?!" Noctis had never seen anything like it before.

Prompto grinned, seeing the shock on their faces. "This is a Black and White Tegu. Think it is a male, about four feet. He needs an injection of antibiotics, but I can't hold him still and inject him at the same time."

The tongue slipped from the Tegu's mouth to taste the air.

"I thought you needed assistance with a cat, or a dog. But a lizard?" Ignis asked. "Are they all lizards in here?"

Prompto shook his head. "Nope," he said, popping the p, "there's snakes, geckos, an Iguana, a few bearded dragons and a Tortoise. Mum's allergic to fur, so I can't keep any furry pets for long."

"Snakes?" Gladio asked, backing up.

"Yup. I can introduce you to my baby, Perdita, when we've treated this guy. She's lovely." Prompto got the syringe and needle that the vet had given him and looked to Ignis pleadingly. "Please?"

Ignis sighed and gave in, going to hold the large lizard in place as Prompto prepped the needle and then quickly gave the Tegu its injection. Proving the reason Ignis had been called, the Tegu started thrashing to get away and nearly bucked Ignis off.

"All done."

Noctis had shifted from the doorway to curiously look into the drawers nearest him, jumping when a small rounded head in two shades of grey thumped into the side. "What's this one?"

"Name?" Prompto asked, as he moved the Tegu over to an empty vivarium on the floor.

"Uhhh, Christian?" Noctis said.

"Oh! My Blue Ghost Ball Python. He's a little defensive, so he might try striking at you but he can't get you."

"Why Christian?" Noctis asked, looking at the snake.

"He's different shades of grey, so I named him Christian after Christian Grey." Prompto was proud of his inventiveness there.

"You have named all of them?" Ignis asked, adjusting his glasses and going to look into one of the tanks and finding a dark little lizard with red around its eyes looking over at him.

"Yup." Prompto noted the little lizard. "That's Drogon, a red eyed crocodile skink."

"Like the dragon from that show?" Noctis asked, going over to have a look too.

"Yeah. There is Draco, Smaug, Fafnir and Hydra there too. You okay, Big guy?"

Gladio seemed to be retreating from the room. "Yeah. Yeah, fine. Just warm."

Noctis smirked, knowingly, and then looked at Prompto. "So, which of the racks has Perdita?"

Prompto grinned. "None of them. Perdy is too big. Let me show you." He pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and knelt down, undoing the lock on the biggest vivarium in the room set at ground level. Sliding the door open, he stood back up and waited patiently, rewarded when a huge snake, white with black smudges, slithered from the vivarium.

"Holy shit!" Noctis was wide eyed.

"This is Perdita. She's a reticulated python, they're one of the biggest," Prompto said proudly. "She's about 20ft long now, and weighs in at 300lbs, but she's like a puppy really. So sweet." He reached down and Perdita snaked upwards, licking his fingers before using him as a new place to climb, winding around his arm and up to his shoulders.

"300lbs?" Ignis looked over the large snake. "How do you move her around?"

"Oh, that's easy, I pick her up," Prompto grinned. He encouraged Perdita to continue to wind around his shoulders and over to his other arm before he reached down to pick up the rest of her. He seemed to find the weight no problem; instead, the sheer amount of her was more the trouble. "Such a good girl, Perdy. Want to hold her, Big Guy?" Prompto asked. He moved towards the Shield, pausing as Perdita stretched herself out a bit, then pulled herself into an S shape. "Huh, she doesn't seem to like the scent of you."

"How can you tell?" Gladio asked, voice cracking.

"Oh, that pose? It is her striking pose. I'll stay back here or she'll strike you and her teeth are pretty big now. You look nervous," Prompto said, sounding worried.

"Gladio is terrified of snakes, Prompto," Ignis said, saving the Shield.

"Oh! Shit, I'm so sorry! I'll put her back." Prompto moved to slide her back into her vivarium, but Perdita suddenly launched towards Gladio, missing by a few inches. "Perdy!"

Gladio shrieked and fell out of the doorway at the strike, Noctis bending in half as he laughed, arm wrapping over his stomach and the other hand holding onto the table to keep him on his feet.

Prompto was able to guide Perdita into her vivarium and then locked her up, before running over. "Gladio! Are you okay? I'm so sorry; she doesn't usually strike like that." He was babbling.

Gladio waved a shaking hand. “Just keep it away from me.”

Prompto nodded and helped Gladio to his feet, showing a strength they had no idea about. “No problem, Big Guy. You might like my little skinks though, or do all reptiles scare you?”

“Only snakes.” Gladio brushed himself off. “You been doing this for long? Collecting all these?”

“Yeah! Mum and Dad bought Perdita for me when I was about eight, and then every time they go away on a trip they bring me back a new one.” Prompto was sad they left so often, but he had his babies.

“And the Tegu?” Ignis asked, crouching to look at it.

“Oh, I rescue reptiles too, or I get called in to handle them in people’s homes,” Prompto grinned. “Once they’re healthy, I help rehome them.  Or keep them.”

Noctis was fascinated. “Can I hold one?”

“Yeah. I know the perfect one too.” The blond went over to a wall of very small drawers in racks and carefully reached in, taking out an absolutely tiny snake. It was black, and wriggling madly as Prompto carried it over. “Western Rat Snake. I call him Noctis Jr.”

“How is he so tiny?” Noctis asked, holding out his hands as Prompto showed him how to handle the baby snake.

“He’s a neonate, some of my snakes breed and I hatch the eggs out and sell them for extra money, but this one is from a clutch someone gave me because their female snake died and they couldn’t deal with the eggs. This little guy is a tough danger noodle.”

Noctis looked the little snake over and held it up to look at its face properly. The tiny snake curled up and then launched forward, trying to strike but missing by miles.  “Oh, Six, it’ so cute!”

“He’s feisty. Not dangerous at all though. He’s due to start his first shed soon.”

“Can I keep him?” Noctis asked.

“He’s a bit too young right now, Noct. But you’re welcome to house him here and call him yours,” Prompto offered. “Then you can come over and help me out with them anytime.”

“Perfect!” Noctis let the little snake wriggle between his fingers and then looked to Gladio, smirking. He stalked towards the man quietly before holding the baby snake up towards the side of the Shield’s face as Gladio focused on the skinks.

Seconds later, the little snake struck, bopping Gladio on the cheek. Gladio turned his head and spotted the tiny snake, before yelling and running out of the room, Noctis on his heels.


End file.
